


Strike

by dracomalfoy



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alcohol, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-21
Updated: 2012-07-21
Packaged: 2017-11-10 09:52:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/464963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracomalfoy/pseuds/dracomalfoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Team Free Will takes a quadruple date to a bowling alley.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strike

_This fic was inspired by an idea two friends and I had while we were bowling one night._

 

“Dean, I don't understand why I have to use a ball of this color.”

Dean put his hand on the angel's shoulder as Cas stared down at the six pound bowling ball held in arms.

“'Cause you're just beginning. Once you get a hang of it I can get you a heavier one.”

Jo giggled under her breath from the table beside them and Jess looked up from the other side, both girls with drinks in hand.

“Pink's your color, bro.” Gabriel joked from across the bowling alley, him and Ash carrying beer and pizza over to the table where everyone was sitting.

They set the refreshments down and immediately everyone started grabbing for their own slices. Dean and Cas stood at the top of the bowling lane, the dark haired angel still looking down at the pink ball in his hands.

“I don't understand the import of this game.” He titled his head, brow furrowing as he stared at the two finger holes, possibly trying to figure out what they were for.

“I can second that opinion.” Kali said cooly. She was leaned up against a shelf of bowling balls, her arms folded at her chest, glaring out at the group sitting around the table a few feet away. “This is completely pointless.”

Gabe set down his newly opened beer. He walked over to where she was standing and brought both hands to her arms, rubbing the bare skin gently with his thumbs. “Just give it a chance, jaani, you might like it.”

Her eyes flicked up to his, face remaining unexpressive. “Not likely.”

The angel cocked his head at her, trying his best at puppy-dog eyes even though he knew that seldom worked. “Please?”

She stared at him for a moment, eyes narrowing the slightest bit before she spoke again. “No.”

Huffing out a breath, Gabe leaned forward and kissed her quickly on the lips. “At least get some pizza, then?”

The goddess sighed, arms still at her chest. “Maybe later.”

Gabe smiled wide and turned back to the others. Ash cleared his throat, pretending he was coughing. “ _Cough cough_...whipped... _cough_...” He chuckled under his breath when the angel walked back over. Jo smacked her boyfriend in the back of the head and shot him a glare.

“Oh, like you're one to talk.” Sam raised an eyebrow as he laid his arm at the back of Jess' chair. Ash made a face and opened his mouth to say something in protest but nothing came out. Jo and Jess started giggling again.

Sam smirked and craned his neck over to see what Dean and Cas were doing. “Cas, it's your turn.” He called over and the angel picked his head up, looking over his shoulder at the group, a terribly confused look on his face.

Turning back to face Dean again, he clung to the pink ball in his hands. “Why do I have to go first?”

“Beginners always start.” Dean nodded, patting his boyfriend on the shoulder, nudging him a little to go forward closer to the starting line.

“I...” Cas began, glancing hopelessly from the white pins at the end of the lane and then back to Dean.

“Come on, bro, we don't have all night.” Gabe called from the end of the table. He was leaning back in his chair, balancing himself on the back two legs with a slice of greasy pizza in his hand.

Swallowing hard, Cas looked one last time at Dean who backed up a couple of steps to give him some room.

“Go ahead, Cas.” Dean told him quietly, nodding again.

Slipping his fingers into the two holes at the top of the ball, Cas stepped up to the last row of triangles painted on the wood floor and looked down, checking his exact position between them. He pulled his hand back and then with very little force, sent the pink ball swirling down the lane as it headed straight for the gutter and rolled quickly down to the end. He turned back to Dean and looked down at the ground.

“I don't think that is the correct way to bowl.”

Dean shook his head, a smile forming at his lips as he stepped back over to him.

“No, it's not.” He chuckled. “But you get another try.”

Cas tipped his head down at the pink ball that popped up from the chute beside him and stared at it.

“Here, get your ball again and I'll help you out, okay?” Dean gestured with his eyebrow at the ball and the angel nodded once.

“Aww come on, that's cheatin'.” Ash said from the table, his almost empty beer swirling at the bottom of the bottle in his hand.

“I'm not gonna do it for him.” Dean replied back, his brow creased.

Ash shrugged and finished off his beer, tossing it into the cardboard box they'd come in.

Exhaling softly, Dean stepped behind Cas, placing his hand at his back and guiding him to the starting line.

“Okay, now hold the ball like this.” He lined his arm up parallel against the angel's and placed his fingers over where Cas' were poked through the holes. Turning their wrists a little, Dean pulled their arms back together. “And look down the lane. You've gotta aim right down the middle. Spot your target.”

Cas looked down at the pins.

“You see your target?” Dean asked over his shoulder.

The angel nodded. “If the target is supposed to be the oddly shaped white pin in the middle and front of the other nine, then yes, I see it.”

“Okay, now line your hand up with it.” Dean pulled their arms a little to the side. “Then you get some momentum and toss it forward.”

With a quick stretch back, Dean pushed the ball forward in Cas' hand and it dropped onto the lane, rolling down slowly until it hit a few pins on the left side.

Cas turned around, a tiny smile at his lips.

“See, you've got it, Cas. Just need a little more practice.” Dean grinned back proudly and walked to the table grabbing a beer and popping the top.

The angel stood in front of the lane for a moment, surprised at what he had just done, staring at Dean who set his beer down and walked over to dry his hand off over the fan before grabbing a black bowling ball from the circle of seven others on the return rack. He gestured for Cas to go sit down by the others and the angel walked behind the line and stood next to Jo, still smiling a little.

“Are you guys ready to see a pro?”

Jo scoffed out a breath and Gabe laughed out loud.

“Oh dream on, princess.” The light haired angel said as he shook his head.

Dean shot him a smirk, pulling the ball up close to his chest. “I'd like to see you pull this off.”

Squinting his eyes down the lane, Dean held the ball near his face before taking two quick steps forward and swinging it back, then releasing it swiftly down to the floor. It spun fast before striking the pins at an angle, knocking them all down but the two farthest ones on either side.

Sam and Jess both cringed and Gabe made an “ouch” sound. Jo shook her head.

“Spoke too fast, man.” Ash said, opening up another beer, shrugging at Dean.

“Just wait. I'm not finished yet.” The hunter had a smug grin on his face as he grabbed the ball again when it shot up from the return chute.

Following almost the exact same steps that he had taken the first time around, Dean released the ball down the lane and it knocked into the pin on the right which quickly flew to the other side and hit the other pin, both of them falling down in the flash of a second.

The group roared behind him in cheers as Dean turned around looking very pleased with himself, taking a bow.

“Thank you, thank you.”

He walked back to the table and looked up at the score board overhead to see the little slash appear in the box besides his initials. He tipped his head at Cas and smiled.

“You are very skilled at this game, Dean.”

“I know I am, Cas.” He chuckled to himself. “You're not so bad yourself.”

The angel dropped his eyes to the floor and a faint flush of color rose to his cheeks.

Jo stood from her seat and rolled her eyes at the two guys. She tipped the bottle back and finished off her beer before setting it down on the table. Ash cocked his head at her and made a face.

“You want me to help you throw it, like Dean did for Cas?” He smirked a crooked smile up at her and she punched him teasingly in the shoulder.

“Hey, no beatin' me up in public.” He rubbed his arm, narrowing his eyes jokingly and she glared.

“I can beat you up wherever I want.”

Sam shook his head and both him and Gabe laughed as Jo went over to pick up her green bowling ball and stepped behind the line.

“You think you're a pro, Deano?” She called over her shoulder with a raised brow. Dean looked up from Cas.

“You think you can do better?” He made an incredulous face at her.

Nodding affirmatively, Jo looked down the lane, pulled her arm back and released the ball. It rolled in a straight line and hit the front pin, knocking them all down like dominos. A couple people wooed in congratulations behind her. She spun to face them and smiled.

“And that's how it's done.”

Jo walked back to her seat and Jess held her hand out for a high-five. They exchanged grins.

Ash stood up from his chair and cracked his neck then his knuckles before picking up his ball from the return rack.

“Oh boy, here goes Killer.” Gabe joked, rolling his eyes.

Ash looked over his shoulder and squinted one eye at the angel. “Hey, I'm a swell bowler.”

Jo nodded, downing her drink. “It's true. He has his own shoes.”

Tilting his head to check out the shiny red and blue shoes on Ash's feet, Gabe nodded. “Fair enough.”

Ash shot a spare on his second try and came back to where his beer was waiting for him at the table. Jess stood up from the table and bent down to kiss Sam on the lips, her curly blonde hair falling in front of his face.

“Aw, aren't you guys just cute.” Dean teased from where he was leaned against Cas, a beer in his hand.

Sam shot him a look when Jess went to take her first turn.

“Really, Dean?” He held back a laugh. “I'm not the one who was all 'Here Cas, let me hold you tenderly and guide the ball down the lane'.”

Dean craned his neck back and blew a raspberry at his brother. “I was _not_ like that.”

Jo giggled. “Yeah, you kinda were...”

Turning to face his boyfriend with a completely serious expression, Cas nodded slightly. “You were rather gentle, Dean.”

The hunter opened his mouth to say something, his hand gesturing out to the side before he widened his eyes at the angel. “Not helping, Cas.”

Jess came back and Sam stood up for his turn, picking up a ball that looked way too tiny held against his large form.

The group finished the entire pizza within the first three rounds and Jo and Jess got up to throw away the trash and use the bathroom.

Gabe grinned up at the score board, his numbers one ahead of Jo and Dean's tied scores. Sam and Ash were tied right behind them and then Jess was eight behind that. Cas, of course, brought up the rear with a score twenty points behind Jess'.

After having stood off to the side for the first half of the game, Kali finally decided to come over and stand beside Gabe, her own martini she'd gotten from the bar held between two fingers.

“Hey, beautiful.” The angel smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist. She rolled her eyes but didn't push him away. “You sure you don't wanna join in?”

She looked at him coldly, giving an obvious answer without even saying words. Gabe shrugged, giving her hip a little squeeze which only made her glare more into his eyes.

“You see I'm winning?” He asked rather childlike, pointing at the scores overhead. She didn't look.

“I've been standing here the entire time, of course I can see it.”

He chuckled and glanced over her shoulder when suddenly music from the jukebox started playing over the speakers and Jo and Jess returned with smiles wide on their faces.

“How much you put in there?” Ash asked, handing Jo her beer when she returned.

“Eight bucks. That should last us the rest of the night.” She nodded and took a swig of her drink.

Dean handed Cas his pink ball and sent him to the lane to make his next turn. “Come on, Jo. REO? Really?” He wrinkled his nose.

She made a face to retort but Sam jumped in.

“Don't even start, Dean. You know you sing along in the Impala when it comes on.”

“Also in the shower.” Cas added in response to Sam when he returned from throwing another gutter ball and suddenly Dean's face turned red.

“Dammit, guys, what did I ever do to deserve this crap?”

Jo looked up at the ceiling. “Should we make a list?”

Gabriel laughed out loud and set his empty beer bottle down on the table. “Nice one, kiddo.”

She shrugged and winked at Dean who mumbled something under his breath and grabbed his ball to take another turn.

Between rounds they would all get up and dance off to the side by the jukebox, careful not to spill their drinks. Sam spun Jess by the hand and caught her in his arms when she dipped back. She and Jo had been singing along to the classic rock, both holding invisible microphones under their chins to pretend. They'd all had enough alcohol by now to not care about the looks they received from others around them, even though there was only one other group set up at the other side of the bowling alley.

After Gabe shot yet another strike and was still in the lead when he turned to Kali and grabbed her by the hand. She froze and raised her brow.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“I was gonna ask this beautiful woman to dance with me.” He smirked and kissed the top of her hand.

Kali stared at him, unamused. “Why?”

“Everyone else is having fun doing it.”

She narrowed her eyes and a very faint smile formed at the edge of her lips. “And since when do you ever follow what everyone else does, Gabriel?”

He laughed and laced his hand with hers, knowing she was right.

Ash got up from his seat and walked over to Jo who was standing next to Jess.

“Nah, dude, you're doin' it all wrong. Chicks don't like that whole romantic thing.”

Jo turned around but before she could say anything, he swooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the middle of the floor, her hands batting at his face and legs kicking while she grumbled complaints.

“You just gotta grab 'em and get 'em to dance that way.” Ash set her down on her feet and she frowned up at him when he pulled her close.

Gabe and Dean both laughed and Jess raised a hand to her mouth, eyes wide.

“I'll keep that in mind next time I wanna get killed.” Gabe responded, flashing his eyes to Kali's.

“Get off, dumbass.” Jo retorted as she jerked away from Ash.

“See and when they call you names like that, it just means they love you even more.” He chuckled, watching Jo return to the bowling lane and pick up her ball to shoot another turn.

Looking on as she knocked down the majority of the pins, Dean slid his arm against Cas' lower back and the angel turned to him expectantly, blinking once to acknowledge his presence.

“Yes, Dean?”

The hunter shrugged and leaned forward to kiss the dark haired angel on the cheek. Cas smiled.

“You havin' fun?” Dean asked.

“Yes, this is rather enjoyable. However, the numbers beside my name seem to be much lower than everyone else's.”

Chuckling softly, Dean rubbed his hand up to rest on Cas' shoulder. “Don't worry about it. You're doin' great.”

Sam interrupted, pointing up at the scoreboard above them. “Last round, guys.”

Gabe snickered. “Almost caught up with me, Dean.”

The hunter shook his head. “Don't speak too quick. I could get two strikes and knock you behind the charts.”

The angel rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say.”

Jo placed her hands at her hips and turned her head to glare at Ash over her shoulder. “How the hell did you get ahead of me?”

He shrugged and grinned at her. “Looks like I'm better than you after all”

She pursed her lips together and looked at him angrily. “Good thing you already got your once a week, then.”

The guys, minus Cas, burst out laughing but Ash played along.

“Lyin' don't suit you, babe.”

Jo lifted an eyebrow. “Oh sorry, you're right. I meant once a month.”

Gabe had to cover his mouth so he didn't laugh too loud and Dean bent over, hands on his knees, almost in tears from cracking up.

Ash laughed too, turning to look at Sam and mouth the words “tonight” at him in which Sam just shrugged and pulled Jess closer.

Gearing up to make their last round, Cas went first, knocking down a whopping total of three pins. Dean followed with a strike and then knocking down all but one on his last shot. He grumbled and tipped his head back, as if he'd just been defeated.

“Sonofabitch!” He groaned and Cas came over, genuinely worried. He took Dean's hand.

“Don't worry, Dean. You are well ahead of me on the digital score board.”

The hunter huffed out a breath and couldn't help but smile a little.

Jo shot a spare and then had a chance at one more round. She closed her eyes before she ran to drop the ball down the lane.

“Come on, Jo, you've got this!” Jess cheered from behind the line.

Holding her breath as the ball rolled slowly down the middle, Jo shot a fist in the air and smiled widely when all ten pins fell down.

“Strike!” She yelled.

Everyone congratulated her and she stuck her tongue out at Ash as he walked by to take his turn.

Sure enough, he came in one point behind her. Jess went up next, concentrating hard to get a spare and winding up with another chance, but blowing it when she got too excited from her previous turn. Sam kissed her in condolence and he ended up tied again with Ash.

Finally, it was Gabe's turn and he nodded up at all the final scores, realizing he needed two strikes to get ahead of Dean now.

“This is it, folks. Dr. Sexy comes up last but not least, needing a whole _two strikes_ in order to win the game and become bowling champion.” Ash said in his best announcer voice as Gabe stepped up to the line. Sure enough, his first shot knocked all the pins down. He flashed a jeering smile at Dean who looked like he was on the edge of his seat in anticipation to win the game.

Walking over to where Kali was sitting, having been forced into one of Jo and Jess' conversations, he bent down on one knee and looked up at her.

“Can I have a good luck kiss for my final turn?”

Letting out a low exhale, Kali stared at him for a moment. His eyes searched hers for an answer before she eventually decided to bend down and meet his lips with hers. Pulling back quickly however, she waved him off towards the lane.

Both Jo and Jess “awed” and Kali rolled her eyes as the angel strode forward with his ball in hand, ready to shoot his last turn.

Everyone watched with wide eyes, holding their breath to see if he could actually pull it off. Right when he released it onto the sleek wooden lane, Dean turned away.

“I can't look.” He said under his breath.

Pulling back, Gabe's eyes followed the ball as it rolled all the way to the end and hit the first pin, knocking the ones behind it and the ones behind them, bringing the entire triangle to the ground and earning him his second strike.

Sam was the first to start clapping, shaking his head in amusement that he was actually able to pull it off. Jo and Jess wooed loudly and Ash raised his beer in the air, smiling.

Gabe extended both arms out to his sides and shrugged. “And that's how it's done, kids.”

Dean shook his head frantically, unable to look at the scoreboard as the words “End Game” flashed over the screen followed by “Winner: Gabriel” in big bold letters. Cas put his hand on his boyfriend's shoulder as Gabe went around getting high-fives.

“You came very close, Dean.” He nodded, tipping his head at the hunter who folded his arms at his chest and frowned.

“You cheated, man.” Dean yelled at Gabe.

“Dude, just deal with it. Don't be a poor sport.” Ash chuckled, fist-bumping Gabe across the table.

“Shut up, Ash. You suck.” Dean said, almost pouting.

Both Jo and Ash shot back. “Hey!”

“Sorry...” Dean said huffing out a breath.

“No harm done, man.” Ash replied, wrapping an arm around Jo's waist.

Gabe walked over and held out his hand to Dean. The hunter grumbled before accepting it even though it was clear he didn't want to.

“You came close, Dean.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Dean rolled his eyes.

“Practice a little more and maybe you can beat me next week.”

Dean let go of his hand and Gabe winked.

“Cas, cheer up your human, he's getting moody.”

Everyone turned their eyes to the dark haired angel standing beside Dean.

“I...”

“Don't worry about it, Cas. I'm fine.” Dean snapped, huffing out a breath.

“If you like, I can remove my clothes and lay in the back of your car the way you sometimes enjoy-”

Dean hurried forward and covered Cas' mouth with his hand, turning back to everyone else, his eyes wide. “Uh...he didn't mean that.”

“Yes, I did.” Cas mumbled against his hand and everyone burst into laughter.

Consumed with embarrassment, Dean went outside to get some air while the rest of the group picked up and got ready to leave.

“Text me, tomorrow, 'kay?” Jess said to Jo as she pulled her in for a tight hug.

“You bet.” Jo nodded before wrapping her arms around Sam, needing to stand on her tiptoes in order to do so. Kali went to go sit in their Pontiac while Gabe said goodbye to everyone. Ash nudged him in the shoulder and Gabe ruffled his hair.

“Later, dude.” The angel grinned.

“Good job tonight, man.” Ash said, nodding towards Gabe.

“You didn't do so bad yourself.”

Gabe waved after Sam and Jess as they got into their car and pulled out of the parking lot. He went over to Cas and smiled at him.

“Later, bro. Make sure your boy-toy's not too sore from the ass kicking he got tonight.”

Cas cocked his head at his older brother and nodded skeptically.

Turning to face Dean who was leaned up against the hood of the Impala, he opened his mouth to speak but was taken aback by a pair of arms coming up behind him and wrapping around his neck.

“Night, Cas.” Jo grinned, kissing him quickly on the cheek.

The angel smiled back down at her before she took a step over to Dean and wrapped him in a hug.

“Cheer up, Deano. You kicked my ass, that's got to mean something, right?”

Dean sighed and smiled back down at her, patting his hand at her back. “Damn, straight.”

“See you guys on Sunday, then?”

Dean nodded.

“Have a good night, Jo.” Cas said to her.

“Ha. Thanks.” She shot a glance over to her truck where Ash was sitting in the passenger's seat, radio already blared up to full volume. “Ash thinks he's getting laid tonight. I've gotta go wipe that fantasy from his head.” She rolled her eyes and Cas nodded at her, his brow furrowing a little once he realized he wasn't quite sure what she meant.

Watching Jo leave and climb up into her truck, Cas turned back to Dean and tilted his head at him. “Are you ready to go home now?”

The hunter brought a hand to his face and rubbed it tiredly before standing up from the hood of his car and taking a step towards the angel.

“Not yet.” A tiny smile spread at his lips and Dean leaned forward, pressing his mouth gently against Cas', who in return closed his eyes and accepted it, kissing back softly. When they broke apart, Dean let out an exhale and leaned his forehead against his boyfriend's.

“Now I'm ready.”


End file.
